"Lakers Are Favored to Win It All in 2009"

[campybatman]

Yes, this trade makes some sense and could be more feasible a deal then acquiring Artest since rumor has it that he could opt out to sign with Dallas to be reunited with Rick Carlisle.

Would be interesting if Miami could then pair Odom with Brand if the latter were to opt out as well.

Still, didn't Marion feel slighted in Phoenix playing behind Stoudemire and Nash like how Joe Johnson felt before winding up with Atlanta. In Los Angeles, Marion would be playing third or even fourth fiddle to Bryant, Gasol and Bynum.

Lamar Odom had a rocky Finals and could be on his way out. Odom's old team, Miami, is seen as one potential destination. Pat Riley has always loved Odom and had him for a season before using him as a piece to get Shaquille O'Neal from the Lakers in 2004. New York Daily News

As Bryant said an hour after losing to the Celtics, the Lakers need to develop into a better defensive team. "You can't expect to win a championship by focusing on the offensive end," he said. Miami's Shawn Marion would address some of those defensive concerns. He might also be a better fit than Odom when the Lakers start Bynum at center and Pau Gasol at power forward. While their contracts don't exactly match up (Marion makes $17 million next season and Odom is at $14.6 mil), a package deal involving those two players might work. They're both entering the final season of their contracts. New York Daily News

[eatyourchildren]

I'd actually prefer Artest over Marion. Marion is always salty about something. That's not very good for the locker room.
And while you must be thinking, well isn't Artest isn't worse? I believe his relationship with Kobe (which is phenomenal: http://awfulannouncing.blogspot.com/2008/05/newest-bdssp-hire-ron-artest-interviews.html and the the fondness that Phil has for him (which is the 'respect' that Artest wants as being treated as a top 5-10 player, source: am570 Loose Cannons).

But...I don't think the Lakers can get either.

[campybatman]

If I were the Lakers, given the choice, I would trade for Artest ahead of Marion. I was saying that a trade for Marion could be more feasible since he and Odom's salaries are closer to each other than Artest's salary. It's said that Miami and Marion and agent are working on a contract extension, so it probably doesn't matter.

[GuyClinch]

I'd actually prefer Artest over Marion. Marion is always salty about something. That's not very good for the locker room.

I'd prefer Lebron to Posey but I don't think its going to happen. Why would the Kings trade Artest for Odom? It's not good value for the Kings - and they don't like the Lakers. It makes little sense..

pete

[MyInsatiableOne]

Just to let you guys know the only way Ron Artest goes to the lakers is if he opts out and takes the MLE to go to LA because there is no way the Maloofs (Kings owners) will ever do any favors for the lakers whether it be trading him for Odom or helping them in a sign and trade unless it is completely lopsided in favor for the Lakers.

Let me put it this way in order for the Lakers to trade for Artest it would take either Bynum or Kobe
but for anyone else you could get him for pennies on the dollar.

Maybe the Kings want to help out another Western Conference team by trading Artest to either the Rockets or the Spurs

Parker
Manu
Artest
Duncan
Oberto

That is one great defensive starting five

or

Alston
McGrady
Artest/Battier
Landry/Scola
Yao

Rockets will have two of the best defensive perimeters in the league and maybe the Maloofs help out Adelman.

But I am probably just talking out of my ass.

^^Nailed it. And Artest has already said there is no way in hell he's going to opt out and take the MLE. So scratch that off the Lakers' list.

[campybatman]

Well, after reading this... So, much for him to Dallas rumor.

In the past week, several reports have insisted Ron-Ron might act like the card he is, opt out of his $7.4 million contract with Sacramento for 2008-09, and take a mid-level exception (starting at $5.5 million, or thereabouts) with a contender like L.A. or Dallas. Stein confronts the consideration head-on:

Artest followed up our Tuesday interview with an e-mail Thursday in which he said: "Even if I was to opt out, which probably won't happen, I will never accept a mid-level exception. So people trying to figure out possibilities should get that out of their heads."

If Ron-Ron changes course (HOOPSWORLD has reported his camp is considering it), he won't have a choice. The Kings won't be taking back salary which extends past next summer in any sign-and-trade deal. Teams aren't going to mortgage the farm for an enigma like Artest. Philadelphia and Memphis ain't throwing their free agent money at Ron-Ron. And no one else can offer more than the mid-level, barring some impromptu cap-clearing.

If Ron's agent has his wits about him (no comment), he won't let Artest opt out. The best case really is for Artest to get traded (in July or February), rally a team in vicious success, and get an anxiety-ridden long-term deal from that team.

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/06/ ... mid-level/

[MyInsatiableOne]

If the Lakers are counting solely on the unproven Kareem Abdul-JaBynum Chamberlain kid to put them over the top next year, they're in for a rude awakening!

[Gomes3PC]

I'd be shocked if the Kings trade Artest to LA. They hate the entire franchise, and even if they cannot compete with the Lakers right now, they will not be the facilitators to the dawn of a potential LA championship. IF Artest gets traded (I doubt he does), then it will be to a team in the East. Maybe some sort of S&T with the Wizards for Gilbert Arenas, or something perhaps with the Hawks if they lose Childress.

Honestly, the Lakers don't need an Artest or a Marion to get over the hump. They need a guy like James Posey. Someone with some toughness and an ability to hit open shots. They have enough scoring across the board with Kobe, Pau, Bynum, Fisher, Sasha, etc.

What they need more than anything is a change in attitude. Defense wins championships, whether it was the Shaq-led Lakers, the Spurs, the Heat, or the Pistons. All of those teams could play stifling defense in the playoffs, just like Boston. LA has the pieces, with Farmar, Kobe, and Bynum, to be a good defensive team. Add a defensive-minded player like Posey and you are that much closer. But the individual parts won't matter if they don't commit from the first practice of summer camp to defend. IF they do that, then they deserve to the favorites for the title.

Like it or not, the Celtics are at a plateau. Hopefully they stay here for 1-3 more years, but they aren't getting any better. LA took Boston to 6 games despite no defense and no Bynum. They have more opportunity for growth. What I think, more than D or Bynum, may slow them or stop them from this is, is that other teams have even more room for growth. A team like New Orleans or Portland have an opportunity for a dramatic improvement and are REALLY young (unlike LA, which is pseudo-young).

[campybatman]

Also, the league might be monitoring one-sided trades more closely now after the whole Memphis and L.A. Lakers trade controversy.

[ParticleMan]

I'm not sure about us having plateaued. I can see room for major improvement in Rondo, just in terms of consistency. Perk isn't going to get much better, but Powe very well could. Then add a draft pick in there too, and maybe Baby gets it going. As long as our other main guys don't decline any, I think we very well could be better next year.

I don't think we'll win 66 games again because we can afford to pace ourselves to just make sure we get HCA, probably in the 60-win range. But I don't think we'll be taken to 7 games by our 1st round opponent next year either. The year of experience of playing together will help this team more than any single player addition.

[Maple Green]

Like almost sports writer, they are favored the Lakers win the crown but HEY! who win the ring? I am just asking.

[MyInsatiableOne]

Also, the league might be monitoring gifts from former players/GMs more closely now after the whole Memphis and L.A. Lakers something-for-nothing controversy.

^Fixed

[JordansBulls]

The Lakers are simply overrated. They looked more like a cinderella team to me.

Yep, even Phil Jackson said they should have rellished the opportunity and thought of it as if it will be their only time in the finals.